Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to online and/or mobile payment systems, and more particularly to systems and methods that provide for users to check-in to a person and/or group and that may be used in conjunction with online and/or mobile payment systems.
Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks such as, for example, the Internet. Consumers routinely purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions may take place directly between a conventional or on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, and payment is typically made by entering credit card or other financial information. Transactions may also take place with the aid of an on-line or mobile payment service provider such as, for example, PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment service providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties involved. Purchasing with the assistance of a payment service provider from the convenience of virtually anywhere using a mobile device is one main reason why on-line and mobile purchases are growing very quickly.
Customers of a merchant may visit that merchant regularly in groups of two or more customers. For example, customers of a restaurant or bar may go to that restaurant or bar together as a group regularly. Conventional merchant systems may attempt to track customer visits to, and spending with, the merchant by, for example, providing frequent customer cards to the customers that are presented each time the customer visits the merchant, tracking spending by individual customers (e.g., via credit card spending or an account) at the merchant, and/or using a variety of other conventional user tracking systems known in the art. In some situations, individual customers may be allowed to “check-in” to a merchant by using location-based social networking systems such as the Foursquare application provided by Foursquare Labs, Inc. of New York City, N.Y. Checking-in to a merchant allows a customer that is located at or near the physical merchant location of the merchant to associate themselves with that merchant, and may be used by the merchant to track some customer behaviors or interactions with the merchant. However, conventional check-in systems only allow individual customers to check-in to merchants, and provide no method by which the merchant may determine whether there is any association with groups of customers who visit their physical merchant location.
Thus, there is a need for improved user association systems.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.